83 Delta 88 Alternator Wont Charge

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Chris Tomas

Apprentice
Jan 6, 2018
60
9
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I have seen applications where the #2 terminal will be ran to the ECM as a way to stop the alternator from charging (and the associated load on the engine) when the motor is at full throttle.

Fair enough, well wish me luck! Heres hoping i wake up tommorow to at least 13ish volts:cool: (preferably 14 lol)
 
Oct 14, 2008
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Melville,Saskatchewan
The factory harness goes through the brown wire charge light circuit and that bulb needs to be good and in place, sounds like it is. The regulators go bad often so try the bypass. My reman 12si alternator needs a quick rev up to start charging, do rpm's make a difference? Basically your stock harness just has a separate 12 volt feed to the #2 terminal, either works. As said the one terminal goes through the idiot light circuit and that has to be lighting up to charge. A 83 Canadian Delta 88 should not have a ECM.
 
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Chris Tomas

Apprentice
Jan 6, 2018
60
9
8
The factory harness goes through the brown wire charge light circuit and that bulb needs to be good and in place, sounds like it is. The regulators go bad often so try the bypass. My reman 12si alternator needs a quick rev up to start charging, do rpm's make a difference? Basically your stock harness just has a separate 12 volt feed to the #2 terminal, either works. As said the one terminal goes through the idiot light circuit and that has to be lighting up to charge. A 83 Canadian Delta 88 should not have a ECM.
Ok sounds good, and what bypass do you mean exactly? The looped wire that has the nut on the back?

I tried hooking everything up but when she started this morning, the battery tested on the meter at 11.90 volts when the engine was running, and testing the 2 pin connector on the alt showed a small difference of 11.85 volts.

I also notice the charge light intermittently flickers now when the engine is running. Giving the engine a good rev does no diffference. Did i grab yet another bad alt from the junkyard? *cries*

Also nice to see someone from the prairies here lol
 

Chris Tomas

Apprentice
Jan 6, 2018
60
9
8
I have seen applications where the #2 terminal will be ran to the ECM as a way to stop the alternator from charging (and the associated load on the engine) when the motor is at full throttle.

Well i tried her out this morning, theres a change but not a good one, the battery is at 11.90v when engine is running, testing the 2 pin connector on the alternator showed a .5 difference at 11.85v.

I'll attach a picture of my setup in the next post.
 

Chris Tomas

Apprentice
Jan 6, 2018
60
9
8
2s13wgm.jpg


16gh5yw.jpg


In the second photo i have another connector to try if necessary.

My battery connections were a bit loose which i just tightened but that wouldn't cause an 11.90v reading im pretty sure.
 

Jim hopper

Apprentice
Mar 29, 2017
97
88
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2s13wgm.jpg


16gh5yw.jpg


In the second photo i have another connector to try if necessary.

My battery connections were a bit loose which i just tightened but that wouldn't cause an 11.90v reading im pretty sure.
Just take a red wire and run it from the post on the back of the alternator to the positive post on your battery terminal that's what I did and it charges at 14.0 volts
 

Chris Tomas

Apprentice
Jan 6, 2018
60
9
8
Just take a red wire and run it from the post on the back of the alternator to the positive post on your battery terminal that's what I did and it charges at 14.0 volts
Thanks for the reply!

I'm REALLY contemplating on doing that, but i'm wondering is it safe to even to test it like that when i dont have a way to fuse the connection?

I dont want a overcharge to catch the poor thing on fire. I mean itll be a quick test but i just wanna be careful :mrgreen:
 

Jim hopper

Apprentice
Mar 29, 2017
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88
28
Mine has ben hooked up that way for a year and I have had no problems if I wasent sick I woul go out to my garage and send a pic of how mine is dune but I feel like sh*t so I'm not gowing out in the -10
 
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Chris Tomas

Apprentice
Jan 6, 2018
60
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8
Mine has ben hooked up that way for a year and I have had no problems if I wasent sick I woul go out to my garage and send a pic of how mine is dune but I feel like sh*t so I'm not gowing out in the -10

For sure, i appreciate you just replying alone, i'm sick too and last thing we both need is to be out in the cold no doubt lmao.
 
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Longroof79

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Oct 14, 2008
12,176
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Gainesville, Fl
I also have a 4ga. wire connecting from the battery positive to the lug on back of the alternator. Does your car have a charge light on the dash? If that bulb is out, the alternator will not receive the necessary signal to excite the alternator to begin charging.
Your brown excite wire could be open. Try running a temporary lead from that terminal to a switched +12 volt source on your fuse panel.
I've seen people go round and round replacing alternators, etc. and it turned out to be a bad wire or charge light bulb.
 
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